SALE OF BEER

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1934, Page 2

SALE OF BEER

CHRISTCHURCH LICENSEE FINED. [FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 13. For a breach of the Licensing Act arising out of bottling draught beer, Matthew Kelly, licensee of the Oxford Hotel, Colombo Street, was fined the minimum of £2O. Kelly pleaded guilt to a charge that having in his possession bottles with labels affixed, he used such bottles to bottle liquor. The prosecutor said that a sergeant and a constable visited the hotel for the purpose of taking samples of liquor. Under the counter of the private bar they found 12 bottles, ten of which had Ward and Coy’s labels, but none had the proper caps. In reply to the sergeant’s question why the bottles had wrong caps, Kelly said he had bottled Ward’s draught beer in them. He also said that he did not know he was committing a breach of the Licensing Act. Defending counsel said he was going to ask for leniency, but he understood the minimum fine was £2O. “It’s a serious offence under the Licensing Act, but I suppose it’s a sign of the times,” said Magistrate Mosley. Counsel said he had been assured the beer was taken from a Ward’s keg. The police added that Kelly said he had not sold any of the beer. It was in the nature of an experiment.